Tug-locking strap.



No. 672,450. Patented Apr. 23, I9 DI.

J. B. MAY.' TUG LOOKING STRAP.

lApplicabion filed June 12, 19001 (No Model.)

Snow/Mom (Else 2% W THE scams pzrzus co. lmcwau'movv wnsumeron.

UtnTnp biTaTfnis PATENT JOSEPH 13. MAY, OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY.

TUG LOGKlNG STRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,450, dated April 23, 1901-.

Application filed June 12, 1900. Serial No. 20,089. \NO modern T0 (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH B. MAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lexington,in the county of Fayette and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Tug- Locking Strap, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to mail-bags, and more particularly to the means for closing the same; and it has for its object to produce a device of this kind which will be very strong and durable and can be cheaply manufactured and will be easy of manipulation.

With this object in view my invention consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement of parts of a mail-bag fastener, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts in each of the views in which they occur, Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of a mail-bag provided with my improved fastener. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the fastener detached; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the fastener, a portion thereof being shown in horizonntal section.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 indicates a mail-bag, which may be of any ordinary construction. 2 indicates a strap, which is suitably secured at its intermediate portion to the bag in any suitable manner, as by means of ordinary rivets 3. Between the fastening and-one end of the strap a staple at is secured, so as to project outwardly from the strap when in position,

and is preferably arranged with its legs in line with the length of the strap. If desired, a label-holder 5 may be secured to the strap in any desired manner-as, for instance, between the strap and the rivet-plate upon the ,inner ends of the legs of the staple. Between the fasteners or rivets 3 and the other end the strap is provided with two openings 6 and 7, one of which, 6, is preferably arranged lengthwise of the strap, so as to fit over the staple when the bag is closed. The other the two openings, as uponahinge.

said openings is preferably provided with the usual gromets 8, and the transverse opening is preferably provided with a wearing-plate 9. Thetip of the strap beyond said openings may be provided with any suitable looking mechanism-ms, for instance, a bent wire 10, (shown onlyin dotted lines,) which is passe through a hole 11 in the strap.

In using my improved fastener or look the strap is secured to the side of the bag or mailsack at a suitable distance below the top. When it is desired to close the sack, it is gathered Within the hand of the operator in the usual manner and the perforated end brought around until the opposite end 12 can be passed through the opening 7. The operator then grasps the projecting end 12 of the strap and draws it through theopening until the opening 6 can be passed over the staple, the end 12 being made of sufficient length to afford a good grip to draw it through the opening 7. As soon as the opening 6 has been passed over the staple the end 12 can be released and the lock inserted through the staple, which will securely bind the parts together. To open the sack, the lock is removed and the end of the strap drawn off the staple, when the mouth of the sack will immediately open.

As above described, it will be seen that my improved fastener can be made very cheaply, as it consists of one continuous integral piece of material provided with two openings near one end and a staple near the other, the strap being preferably expanded at the ends of one of the openings. It can be easily manipulated, as the opening through which the free end of the strap is to be passed can be made of any shape and of sufficient size to permit of the easy passage of the end therethrough, and by drawing upon the free end after it has been passed through the opening the opening can be readily slipped over the staple and secured thereto in any desired manner. The fastener will possess great strength and durability, as the wearingplate will prevent any undue wear or friction between the parts, and the material between the two openings permits of the necessary flexing or bending of the end of the strap to pass the opening over the staple without the possibility of breaking it or weakening it in any manner whatever.

Although I have described my invention as adapted for use upon a mail-bag, it is evident that it can be used upon a bag for any other purpose, and instead of the strap being made from leather it can be made of any suitable material, and instead of gromets other reinforcing means may be used or they may be omitted entirely. Instead of a staple any other desirable form of retaining device may be used.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A fastener for mail-bags comprising a continuous piece of flexible material adapted to be secured intermediate its ends to the bag, the portion of the strap adjacent to one end being provided with a fastener and adjacent to the other end with two openings at a short distance from each other, one of the openings being adapted to be passed over the fastener and the portion of the strap beyond the fastener being adapted to be passed through the other opening, the portion of the strap between the openings acting as a hinge to permit of the strap being bent to pass said opening over the fastener, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a bag, of a continuous piece of flexible material secured intermediate its ends near one end thereof, said piece of material being provided with a staple near one end and two openings near the other, said openings being at a short distance from each other and each provided with a reinforce, and one of them being arranged transversely of the strap, the portion of the strap beyond the staple being adapted to be passed through said transverse opening, and the portion between the openings acting as a hinge to permit of the other opening being passed over the staple, and means for "locking the strap upon the staple, substantially as described.

JOSEPH B. MAY.

Witnesses:

J. B. NORTON, GEO. P. NASH, Jr. 

